As I have spent the last several months here in Port Wander overseeing the refit of my ship, I have put some time considering how I may assist you in your endeavors against our mutual enemies. To this end I have been identifying and making contact with some individuals who are capable of strengthening our forces in a ship-to-ship engagement.

The first is a Rogue Trader, currently in port preparing his own vessel, a fine frigate called the Sanguine Dream. The ink is scarcely dry on Captain Ciemenko’s Warrant, and he is eager to make his name in the Expanse.

I have also been contacted by a representative of the so-called Blue Bloods, commanded by one Yusef Jeremiah. I will not mince words—these men are pirates. However, they have from time to time carried letters of marque from certain noble families on Scintilla, and so far as I can ascertain they have not betrayed any paid contract. I do not know the disposition or strength of Mr. Jeremiah’s forces, however intelligence indicates that he fields multiple vessels.

Finally, I have received surprising overtures on behalf of a Tech-Priest captain, one “Explorator Tack.” I know nothing of the man, though the Mechanicus of course keep their explorator vessels in fine fighting trim. I myself would hesitate to put much trust in a cog-captain; I have seen what comes of it. They are never motivated by mere profit, and I know not what strange demands this Tack would make for his assistance.

I have made no promises to any of these men; you may employ any or none of them as you see fit. Perhaps among your own contacts you know of some who might be persuaded to fight alongside you.

(Major Bromhead and Major Sethra, along with several high-ranking Commonwealth military officers, are huddled around a large data-table. Holographic symbols play across a holographic landscape, representing the military forces of the Commonwealth engaging enemy forces at the Mileux Gap. The blue helmet-shaped icons standing in for Commonwealth infantry are stretched thin along a hastily-dug trench line that stretches from North to South, with either end trailing of the edge of the map. The red arrows representing the enemy were gathering in three columns for a massive charge that would surely break the thin blue line like a hammer striking glass. The Commonwealth Officers nervously eye the technological marvel that seems to be forecasting another imminent defeat.)

BROMHEAD: Direct your artillery to fire around the edges of their formation, corral them into dense pockets here, and here. (Bromhead points to two spots on the trench line that are the most under-manned)

GENERALCROMWELL: They will surely punch through if we direct them to strike at such an undefended target!

BROMHEAD: They will punch through because there will be no defenders, you are going to pull your men out of the trench and allow the enemy to pass through this area in two dense columns. Believing that they have been handed another easy victory, they will split up to circle around your rear and flank your forces to the north and south.

(Bromhead manipulates the controls, and zooms out on the battle map to show a large force of B1-Churchill tanks, represented on the map by the image of a blue sabre.)

BROMHEAD: Whilst they are occupied maneuvering their forces to flank you, the cavalry will charge them in their rear. Their formation will be shattered and confused, they will be at your mercy.

(The blue sabres advance in a wedge formation, striking the gap between the two columns of enemy infantry, who are subsequently scattered and annihilated.)

BROMHEAD: This will relieve the pressure on the Mileux Gap region long enough for production of the Churchill to reach necessary quantity, after which you may run over the enemy at your leisure.

GENERALCROMWELL: (Long pause) See to it, General Hadley. And send word to the engineers that I want production of the Churchill to proceed with all haste. I want this war to be over before the year is out.

(The major stands before a group of roughly twenty armsmen, arrayed in a loose formation of two rows. Major Bromhead is resplendent in an immaculate dress uniform. White and Maroon, with gold cord and embroidery about the epaulettes, spurs shine on his mirror-black riding boots. He clears his throat before he begins the class.)

Bromhead: Show me… your war face.

( The armsmen seem confused, their eyes flitting from the major to look at one another quizzically)

Bromhead: I said, SHOW ME YOURWARFACE!

( Seeming to get it now, the recruits proceed to adorn their faces with a number of grimaces, with much shouting and gnashing of teeth. Only one man remains stoic, his face like a stone carving. Bromhead steps down to stand in front of the man)

Bromhead: Where is your war face soldier?

( The man does not speak, but only raises his hand to point at the large, slab-sided turret of KING 1, Bromhead nods with approval.)

Bromhead: Well at least we have one man who knows what we are about here.

(The major makes a crisp about face, and returns to his place at the head of the class.)

Bromhead: Take a close look at this vehicle, its turret is your head, its sensors are your eyes and ears, its treads are your feet and its armor is your skin.

( The engines of the two Chimera transports roar to life, sending smoky tendrils towards the ceiling.)

Bromhead: That is your war cry. Today we must leave behind the messy and random business that you have until now called war. After today war must be known as a science to you. You must become a skilled craftsman, who makes war as a baker makes bread. More will be expected of you than the rest of your comrades, for more will rest on your shoulders. You must become the model of discipline, and calm under fire. On this day…… You are cavalrymen.

Training Footage excerpt from day 3 of Major Bromhead’s Armoured warfare school.

Bromhead: What you see before you are your new mounts, two Chimera Armoured Personnel Carriers. This very model has served the soldiers of the Emperor since the original founding and the days of the Imperial Army. Now they shall serve you. Can someone name one feature of the Chimera that makes it unique among the armoured ground vehicles of the Imperium?

(a grizzled-looking sergeant raises his hand)

Sergeant Belfast: Back on Cordua, I saw one drive right across a river without stopping.

Bromhead: Quite right you are Sergeant! The Chimera is an amphibious vehicle capable of fording bodies of water while retaining the full ability to fire its weapons. These particular examples have additionally been sealed against the void to allow them to deploy right from the dropship!

(Bromhead clears his throat as a servitor carries in a thick slab of steel on wheels.)
Bromhead: Now can somebody tell me why the armor in the front is so deeply sloped?

(Silence)

Bromhead: Valerie! If you would open fire.

( The autocannon turret of KING 1 groans to life, swiveling left to point at the steel plate. Soldiers put on their ear protection as the great gun fires two rounds, leaving ragged holes in the steel.)

Bromhead: And that is what will happen to you if you allow the enemy to fire into the un sloped armour plating on your flanks. Now observe as we slant the armour sixty degrees, the same as that of a Chimera’s front glacis plate. Valerie?

( the gun spits two more rounds at the other half of the plate, but this time the rounds are deflected upwards into the ceiling, destroying a light.)

Bromhead: And that is why you must take care to present your front armour facing to the enemy. A good soldier does not fear the bolts of the enemy, but neither does he needlessly expose himself to them! Remember this and you may go far.

[Entry 4723]
The captain decided to use one of his recently acquired ‘favors’ to find a contact in the Cold trade other than Drell, for the purpose of moving the ///REDACTED\\\ crystals. We were given two names: the Serrated Quarry and a Captain Belloq. After determining that the Breaker Yards would be the ideal point to begin our search, various members of the captain’s inner circle set about the search in their own unique way. The Engineseer Prime chose to consult the Docking Authority and after being repeatedly rebuffed, resorted (ineffectively) to personal threats. The other Explorator of note aboard as usual demonstrated his full comprehension of subtlety by parading around with one of his unfinished, abominable mobile dolls and dropping the Quarry’s and Belloq’s names in the street to any passerby. Shockingly nothing important was gleaned in this exercise. However, the captain’s bodyguard was able to make contact while out carousing and we have a meeting with the Quarry’s front men to determine if our wares are worth anything. I am quite confident that they will be impressed.

[Entry 4738]
A noteworthy day. We arrived in system without incident and quickly identified the derelict station Tremor where we would make our exchange with the Serrated Quarry. It was not long after settling down that their agents arrived in a smuggler craft named the Jade Serpent. Our meeting was to take place aboard the station in one of the few intact hangars, entering from opposing sides. As we were finishing the deal and in the process of exchanging the goods, one of the members of the Serpent’s party detected an anomaly on auspex just as I was made aware of a large psychic presence deeper within the station. Our parties had just enough time to express concern over this development when a sudden series of explosions created a large breach within the bulkhead, allowing the entrance of a large armored vehicle. Taking admirable initiative the captain’s bodyguard drew her lascannon and promptly reduced the vehicle in question to a bubbling mass of molten metal. Undaunted by this turn of events, a large group of heavily outfitted troops poured through the breach and opened fire. The members of the Quarry wasted no time in making for the exit with all haste. Our troops, on the other hand, managed to leave the walls a smoking ruin, leaving the soldiers to us.

From the swirling debris field at the rear of the hangar charged what could only have been a demonic hound, there was very little time to examine it however as the Engineseer reduced to it ash with a single barrage from his bolt rifle. It was at this time that the psychic deviant in charge of the attack chose to guide the bodyguard in the destruction of quite a few servitors with her lascannon. I disabled half the remaining opposition by psychic means while trying to remain as close as possible to the bodyguard so I might have some chance at surviving should she fire upon our party again. Following this the survivors quickly surrendered and, leaving the guardsmen to collect their weapons, began pursuit of the fleeing psyker. We cornered her as she was about to board a small shuttle and escape. A quick blast from the lascannon removed her as a possible complication and we took control of the shuttle. I was able to find the mind of the shuttle’s pilot and shut all his senses down before he became aware of the situation.

A quick interrogation of the survivors confirmed what we had suspected, that Roland Drell had laid an ambush for us to take both payment and merchandise in one swoop. As we discovered this I was notified that another ship had just arrived in system and stood several hours out. After a brief discussion we decided that Drell needed to be taught a lesson and conceived of a brilliant , if-I-do-say-so-myself, plan to do so. We informed the Jade Serpent of our plans and then packed the two previously obtained scuttling charges in crates aboard the shuttle, having set them to go off soon after landing protocols were completed. We recorded several messages to from the all too willing survivors to add realism to the ruse and then I freed the pilot’s mind and he was told by his superior officer to flee with the captured merchandise towards Drell’s ship. While he obligingly set off to deliver our gift to Drell, we were hailed by the Remington. While not going as far as to admit being behind the ambush Drell offered us a “better deal” if we would only help to destroy the Jade Serpent and greatly weaken his competitors. To buy time we had the other Explorator utilize his conversational “talents” and converse with the self aggrandizing fool, fighting for a better deal with actual discrete benefits for us or anything else that came to mind, with a minor caveat that he would be shut down if he strayed too close to revealing our plans. Skalsy was ordered to “fly casual” and take his time positioning us astern of the Serpent, having informed them to play along.

After being forced to endure an eternity of listening to the pompous conversation, communications suddenly cut out and we detected an energy spike from the Remington. As that was the signal agreed upon, we charged in with the Serpent timidly firing from afar. It became increasingly clear that we had dealt a severe blow to the Remington with the charges and before long the ship was drifting disabled in front of the Savage. We then received a communique from an Acting-Captain Cripin offering complete and utter surrender. When we inquired about Roland Drell’s current status, he proceeded to hold up a severed head and, as an afterthought, the completely perforated but still identifiable remains of Drell’s iconic headwear.

The Remington, while disabled, is completely repairable and after several weeks labor will be ready for a journey back to Breaker Yards for a full repair. We have acquired quite a few items from this encounter: the survivors of Drell’s first regiment veterans, who have been brought them into Sethra’s fold, Drell’s personal logs containing financial and banking information, as well as several locations of interest for future exploration. We also removed what valuable cargo the Remington was carrying and are in the process of taking inventory of what we have collected.

I do so enjoy when our adventures turn violent and let me utilize my talents.

[Note]: Keep an eye on the captain’s body guard as she has been acting… odd since she was exposed to the contents of the witch’s cabin.

Upon landing on the planet with the alien structures we proceeded through the mazes of pathways. We took our new friend the annoying one called bromhead whit use for the fact that he would not stop talking about his military background. He might prove useful to the ship, depending on how he handles himself in combat.
The phyker in the group was picking up the same feeling of the alien presents in sward, not a very good sign. If the same type of entity still resides here that kills all that enters might be a bit of a problem…
Though-out the structure we found the mutilated body of a traitor marine and what was left of the men that he had with them. With some of the wiring still intact in the helmet I proceeded to see what the last thing that this marine saw before his death. I saw a dreadnought with some sort of weapon that I could not recognize; it was an energy weapon, most likely alien. This dreadnought was a make that was unfamiliar to me, though did have some sort of crystals growing out from the body of the lumbering giant.
We reached the main structure no more then 30mins later and entered the structure. It seemed like what ever is inside is getting stronger the closer we get, the men are getting jumpy. What ever is in here wants to speak to me; it wants me to do something? We found some of the crystals that we are looking for and collected them for shipping, though these crystals were shaped, not like the one that we traded for, these were different.
We entered the main room; the ground was covered with the remains of the creatures that were here before us. It was strange to see so many different races in one room, almost like they were drawn here for something, but what. In the center of the room we found the dreadnought that was in cased in the crystals that we saw before, I had to see how old the machine is and if it can be salvaged. As I touched the body of the machine ………<deleted>…….. I felt a sharp pain in my head and collapsed on the ground, I awoke being dragged by the stupid crewmate. Thought something was wrong, for the first time in 50 years I felt as if I forgot something very important, this is not good.

After much talk, we decided to return to port to restock our ship and acquirer information on the next job. I looked up the SOA in a attempt to find more about the organization that seems to be a taboo for most tech priest. I found one that was not willing at first until a bribe was taken to gather the information; it seems that this organization likes to recruit mechanicus that find cybernetics and other bio-generators with something that they want. I found a way to get notice with my design of war servitors and a gentleman that would spread word of this new cybernetics that makes the old stupid servitors a lot smarter and deadlier. They made contact and was given a location to meet.

After negations with the noble’s ship and gaining many valuble items for trade I have gained some favors from some great noble houses that will come in handy in the future. The problem with collecting that artifact paid off in the end with gaining some favors that will be repaid in the future.

After a long discoing on our next course of events with decided to head to luction breath in the attempt to restock and repair the ship if needed. On entry to the planet engrineseer prime detected at signal that was sent from the savage else where and went to investigate, shortly after there where explosion on the ship and after getting word from engineseer prime I head to the last know locations for repair I found the last charge and with skill I disarmed the devise. The soul culprits for the explosion are one will Bainbridge and such will suffer greatly for his actions today. If I capture this man I will pull him apart and keep him alive during the severation process where he will remain my slave for the rest of his life, he will never die.

After repairing the ship we went back to sward and I made contact with the mechanicus there. I met with the magos and we traded information on the info of the magos that I seek, he told of an exploritor that knows his way in the expanse and will help for a price. No price is too steep in the process of finding lost tech. the price was to help remove a ancient station for the warp….. this is a bad plan.

[Entry #4302]
After contact was made with Roland Drell and the subsequent brush with demonic forces, the Captain strove to return to his comfort zone by immediately proceeding to extort the surviving passengers of the cruise ship. Likely deigning the task beneath him, he sent out the Explorator Xanatove as his emissary. Needless to say this blunt instrument of a ‘man’ went about his task with an entire lack, perhaps even an abhorrence, of subtlety. Starting off on the wrong foot he had the temerity to address the passengers before ascertaining what command structure remained intact aboard ship, and then when addressed by the appropriately irate captain, waxed diplomatic by threatening him as well. Perhaps the quick succession of shocks numbed the minds of the blue bloods for they quickly capitulated and as swiftly we were under way. During this time the Engineseer Prime apparently took it into his own hands to hack into the electronic resources of the First Officer and sent a message to Drell expressing an interest in future dealings and setting up a meeting at a later date.

[Entry #4320]
As we neared the docking facilities at Lucian’s Breath for a brief stopover, the Engineseer Prime detected several suspicious intra-vessel communications as well as a tight beam signal. It seems that these signals updated the tasks assigned to maintenance crews to activate malfunctioning pieces of hardware at certain sites throughout the Savage. When the Engineseer went to investigate on of the sites he discovered that these pieces of hardware were in fact scuttling charges. Following this discovery Mechanicus crews located and disabled another of the charges before the remainder were activated. This resulted in a loss of almost a third of the Savage’s hill integrity, with the sensor array being specifically targeted, and somewhere around 15% of the crew in the ensuing chaos. After some inspection, the source of the signals was found to be the First Officer, Bainbridge, who had quietly left the vessel several hours earlier after having embezzled a significant portion of the Lord Captain’s funds. Unsurprisingly enough the traitor proved to be skilled in his trade and disappeared somewhere in system. Perhaps in the future I will have the pleasure of crossing paths with him again and spend some time alone with him to express my displeasure with his perfidious actions.

[Entry #4351]
Repairs to the Savage are almost complete. A small flotilla of Imperial ships entered the system and docked. After some snooping around it was ascertained that they were led by one Captain McCarrius, a notorious member of the cult of Mortichiai and therefore fervently anti-Xeno and closely aligned with the Ecclesiarchy. I understand that the Captain may have fallen somehow from the good graces of the Ecclesiarchy and therefore we should avoid bringing too much attention to ourselves… Upon discovering this rather important bit of information, I also was made aware of the fact that Xanatove had taken it upon himself to make contact their snoops. By the Emperor’s light, this creature will be our downfall. He decided to draw them away by informing them of the planet we encountered earlier that was dominated by mechanical worms ‘that looked suspiciously like xenos-tech.’ He did have the stroke of genius to make them aware of a certain traitorous noble that was engaged in the cold trade, so it seems that I will have to compete with the Ecclesiarchy in my search for vengeance.

[Entry #4410]
After a brief return to Svarde for the sole purpose of conversing with the Explorator who is disturbingly interested in xenos-tech. We set out to Felden’s Fall, a derelict station orbiting a pulsar star, for a covert meeting. It seems that Timur’s expedition was interested in the (likely heretical) Meratek clans who were pushed from their domain into the outer rim during a crusade, and if we were to follow him and survive, we would need information. We would meet a contact here at Felden’s Fall who would provide such information. A frigate has just entered system and we have made contact with an Explorator who called himself Severus, and requires us to spend our men in a certain venture in payment for the information we seek.

[Entry #4447]
We followed the frigate into the warp in such a vector that Harsk indicated would take us core-wards. In his usual fashion he got us to our destination but the ride was turbulent to say the least. When we were notified that we were approaching our destination, while still within the tainted folds of the warp, something appeared on the scanners. The contact resolved into a space station of sorts, that the Mechanicus on the bridge avowed was archeo-tek, and showed extensive battle damage upon closer inspection. How it got here, traveling through the warp, is a most befuddling thing. Our task at hand is to land a party, follow a pathway on the schematics provided, and secure the Engineerium while the other frigates party would secure the control room and bring the station out of warp. How Severus came by these schematics or even discerned the existence of this station worries me less than the concern over what we will be securing the Engineerium against and what perils ahead he is omitting from telling us. It lies ahead silent, with no gellar field active and open to void in every way. Waiting to swallow the unwary.

[Entry #4449]
Ow. After landing in a crater that had once been a hangar bay, we were provided with a mobile gellar field generator and set off into the flickering depths of the station. I learned quickly to keep myself cut off from the warp as every time I opened my self to test the air I was almost overwhelmed by the concentration of things around us and their vehement hatred of us. They urged me to leave the confines of the gellar field and be free and whole… We encountered small groups of hideously mutated men who were quickly swept away by our soldiers. As we neared the Engineerium our vox frequency was invaded by unearthly screams which shockingly enough unsettled the men. After a brief stop in which the Mechanicus set up a scrambled frequency so we could communicate in the void, we arrived at the massive main doors to the Engineerium. After some fiddling the doors where open and revealed a nightmarish scene shrouded in chains and painted with ancient gore. We were allowed only an instant to try and take the situation in before the swarms waiting therein turned and charged enmass. Though nothing but the void separated us from these dark creatures we could hear them screaming their rage and joy as they clambered over each other in their violent efforts to reach us first. The troops proved to be competent enough that we could leave the mutant hordes to them and focus upon their demonic chieftains. Xanatove accounted for one in the ensuing melee with that massive claw of his and I managed to best my own opponent with the odd blade in my possession. As the second demon fell, I glanced up to see another greater foe standing upon machinery above us. It was a giant demon shrouded in flames and wearing the remnants of what appeared ti be power armor and wielding a massive hammer which also burned with an unholy light. As soon as I noticed it, it leapt from that height upon Xanatove with a swing of it’s fearsome hammer. I opened a gaping wound in it’s side but was unable to avoid the following flurry of strikes and the last thing I remember is taking a direct hit on the chest and being flung back into the generator. I awoke in my rooms and seem to be recovering quickly in my normal way. I have yet to be visited by anyone and had to send the other members of the choir to gather information as to what occurred after I fell. It seems that the creature fell almost immediately after I did and within the next few minutes the station made the transition into real space. As to what information we gleaned I have yet to be apprised of.

My testing with the machines of xanaworld proved to me that I am not ready for the next step of my experiments and also these machines can self repair and build with limited forge facilities. I will continue my research at another time with the help of other mechcanicus to help with determining to origins of these machines. Will have to send copies of research notes to the mechanicus station on port wonder for deciding plans with the planet and it secrets.
The hunt for magos Tim… Has been moved to prime objective and all information of his journey will be documented for future endeavors….
On mission the CFO had a meeting on a cruise ship of nobles about an item of great interest will investigate….
Item found: it is some sort of crystal with <redacted>